What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on test?

[graciekiller]

october 1st is when I change up my weight training to high reps/less weight. For the past month, Ive been doing 5x5's and strength gains have been awesome as well as visual size.

Next week Im going to start my higher rep/volume training and I was wondering what to expect as far as weight gain, visual gain and strength retention?

I know this is kind of a hard question to answer, but here is some basic info about me.

Currently about week 4 of test/epi strong cycle. Im going to be running the epi strong for 6 weeks. Test is E3d at 250mg. Weight is 175-177 and bf is about 10-11% according to generic testing. My caloric intake matches what I burn each day, so Im pretty much at a neutral point. Diet is clean.

Any kind of input would be awesome. The point of the high rep training for me (according to my coaches) is to help build muscle endurance/stamina to go along with the strength gains from doing the 5x5's

 

[Judo Tom]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

So long as you intensity does not fall off you will make good gains. Some people do not lift as intensely when going high rep... some w/ low reps. Also it depends how YOU react. Some people will grow more with high reps...some w/ low reps.

I would just say keep the intensity as high as you can.

 

[IceIzNoble]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Spot on, this won't focus on strength but it'll be a change up from your previous routine and will help with your muscular endurance.
8-12 reps will help with some strength and mainly hypertrophy.
12+ reps will focus more on muscular endurance.

IcE

 

[Arabian]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

I have found that when I do higher reps and lower weights, it tends to cut me up however my endurance goes up. I am currently doing a combination of the 5x5 and high reps on machines. How long have you run your 5x5 rep program?

 

[IceIzNoble]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Arabian, how's 5x5 doing for you with regards to mass?
I've heard mixed opinions. I do 6-8 reps with compound movements which is the bulk of my workout and 8-10 with the few isolations at the end of a workout

IcE

 

[kiai]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

I only use the high reps to get a pump and stretch the muscle fascia. I believe it's best if you combine both heavy weight lower reps and lower weight higher reps sets. just think of them as a stretch

 

[Judo Tom]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

this is for a grappler/mma guy and he is probably in some type of periodizaton.

many people back off the heavy weights near a competition or fight... I am guessing that is what is going on here

 

[graciekiller]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

judo - thanks for the always awesome insight and info. Yes, I am about 4 weeks out before the tourney, and I feel explosiveness/strength is where it needs to be....or beyond where it needs to be. I entered a small tourney this past weekend, and I was smashing guys with my takedowns and scrambles. One thing I did kinda notice though, near the end of the match, my strength felt like it was slowly disappearing and/or I wasnt able to keep up the explosive pace.

As far as intensity goes, you can bet that everytime I am in the gym, intensity is as high as it can get. Who cares if people look at me like I am at madman, lol. After meeting with my coaches this morning, I think we came up with a pretty good game plan for the 2-3 days I am in the gym hitting weights. We are going to switch to machines for the ease of changing out weights and the ability to explode on the exertion part of the lift. For this first week we are going to do only 2 sets per excercise.....2 excercise per muscle. I have to be careful not to get too burnt out on the lifting because I still have to roll later that day or the next day. But back to the sets. It will be a super set concept such as (for example) lat pull downs. 5 reps @ heavy weight, Immediately followed by 20 explosive reps at a light weight. repeat after heart rate drops to pre-determined level.

75% of my lifts are pulling lifts which favors my sports. The other 25% of the push comes from squats, leg press's and some chest.

While on the 5x5 program, my strength went up considerably as did my weight. The weird thing is, I am always at a neutral point with my calories to help prevent weight gain, but yet have enough energy to get through workouts. My weight has gone up a solid 8 lbs, some of which is water, but I am sure there is some pure muscle weight in there. I was always under the impression that in order to gain weight you have to be in a plus side of the calories you take in. Sorry if my posts are jumping all around and not making any sense. I am trying to get the most out of each post with the time I have on my hands.

 

[Nelson Montana]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Your body will respond to the way it would respond to such training. Only you'd be on test.

 

[B3astmde]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Most ppl make the mistake of lifting too heavy with low reps expecting to get size...not necessarily the case. 8-12 is considered the hypertrophy range anything less is usually just strength. You could gain some size but I dont think you gain as much. Do you want to be a bodybuilder or powerlifter? You gotta decide that

 

[IceIzNoble]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

^^Not true, people have gotten massive on the 5x5 routine.
I think 6-8 is a very good balance of strength and hypertrophy.
That being said, if your doing 8-10 with high intensity and making each rep count. You will grow.

IcE

 

[B3astmde]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

I did not say that ppl wont make gains with 5x5. Diet will always play a larger factor however most people are caught up with how much they can lift and focus more on moving the weight(power lifting) than contracting and squeezing the muscle. Heavy and Light are irrelevent because its different for everybody. I strongly believe that most ppl will gain the best results with moderately heavy weight and a rep range of 8-12. You gotta stay in that set and get the blood into that muscle.



Ive trained at a lot of gyms and a lot of the times the guys training super heavy are super tiny. Not all but most.




See what works for you..its ok to cheat your last 2 reps to a point. You dont want to be that guy doing that all the way from rep 1 to rep 8 or 10 trust me.

 

[B3astmde]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

What test will ultimately do for you is increase your recovery rate. Unless im not mistaking it greatly inhibits cortisol production and increases nitrogen retention in the muscles. Protein synthesis is also sped up. I am new to using hormones so there are more guys that can get more into detail. Just make sure you are eating a lot and you will be good. This stuff isnt magical(well kinda is ;P) hopefully you get the point.

 

[Zyglamail]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Ive trained at a lot of gyms and a lot of the times the guys training super heavy are super tiny. Not all but most.

LOL, yea, goto westside barbell and tell me most of them are super tiny.

I agree that heavy lower reps doesnt put on as much mass as say 8-12 range but personally ill take the strength and leave the size behind. The size is counterproductive if you ask me, no need to carry the mass around if you can be just as strong but lighter.

 

[zedhed]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

IMO you must have strength in order to get size. Way too many peeps do silly iso work and cant figure out why they dont get big. But they arent using enough weight to do anything with cuz they never trained for the strength part first.

 

[obsessedwliftin]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

<<<<<<<<<< Currently running 5x5 and 6'1" 215 10%bf. The 5x5 works.

 

[UA_Iron]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Read articles on HST-7.

Why not have a hypertrophy day and a strength day like DC training and other variations?


Some muscles respond better to heavy weight low reps while some respond better to high reps lower weight. There's no right answer to this question.

 

[gymjunkie09]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

IMO you must have strength in order to get size. Way too many peeps do silly iso work and cant figure out why they dont get big. But they arent using enough weight to do anything with cuz they never trained for the strength part first.

I can attest to this^^^I trained that way for two years till Zed put me on the the 5x5 and I wish I started training like this a LONG time ago. I've alread put on 13lbs in 3 weeks but I'm sure the A-bombs helped a little lol

 

[Nelson Montana]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Low reps with heavy weights (4-6 reps to near failure) build the bigger (white) muscle fibers BUT ONLY if you have a lot of them. If you have more red (type 1) fibers, you do better with "pump" training -- 10-15 reps close failure. So it depends completely on your genetics.

Guys at Westside aren't big so much because they train heavy. They train heavy because they're big.

 

[gymjunkie09]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Low reps with heavy weights (4-6 reps to near failure) build the bigger (white) muscle fibers BUT ONLY if you have a lot of them. If you have more red (type 1) fibers, you do better with "pump" training -- 10-15 reps close failure. So it depends completely on your genetics.

Guys at Westside aren't big so much because they train heavy. They train heavy because they're big.

interesting, guess it's just more trial and error on what works best for you

 

[IceIzNoble]

Re: What kind of gains to expect when switching to high reps less weight while on tes

Yeh, it's probably better to mix up between low rep / high rep if your unsure

IcE